Former Upland priest leaves Airzona Air Force base after complaints

UPLAND - A priest formerly assigned to St. Anthony's Church in Upland recently started work at an Air Force base in Arizona, causing some to rehash complaints of the past.

He has been released within the past week due to contractual restrictions, according to an Air Force spokesman, not because of present or past complaints.

The Rev. Charles Schultz resigned from the Diocese of San Bernardino in June after parishioners filed complaints with the Upland Police Department and the diocese's human- resources department.

Schultz was hired to perform duties as a Catholic priest with the Luke Air Force Base chapel in December. A new complaint against him was filed there, but officials would not divulge the nature of the complaint.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests was informed of Schultz's new position and started writing letters to Luke AFB officials and U.S. military leaders, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

The letters asked that Schultz be removed from the base and that officials conduct a review to determine how Schultz ended up at the base and review chaplain placements at all military bases.

"This happens quite a bit," said Joelle Casteix, the regional director for SNAP in Newport Beach. "We're told people retire or that they're leaving, and they crop up somewhere."

Parishioners filed complaints with Upland police in early 2009 accusing Schultz of using force with the church's youths.

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Church employees also filed complaints about Schultz creating a hostile work environment with the Diocese of San Bernardino.

After the complaints were filed, the diocese placed Schultz on medical leave for six months. He later resigned.

After his resignation, Schultz pursued a position as a priest at Luke, but was not transferred there by the diocese, said John Andrews, diocese spokesman.

"Father Schultz had been a reserve chaplain for a number of years during his time here, so he had the experience there and wanted to be a supply chaplain in the Diocese of Phoenix," Andrews said. "So he retired, and then he wanted to do that and found a place where he wanted to be a chaplain. So then he just went through the process."

Andrews said the diocese informed the base of the complaints filed by St. Anthony's parishioners.

"That information was made available to that (Phoenix) diocese, so he was not transferred or moved in the way I think SNAP is trying to portray this," Andrews said.

Part of Schultz's Air Force contract permitted him to perform supervision and administrative duties, but the Diocese of San Bernardino exercised its right to restrict him from those activities.

As a result, the Air Force terminated its contract with Schultz.

"The restriction would have prevented Father Schultz from full performance under his contract with the Air Force," said 2nd Lt. Ryan DeCamp of the Luke public-affairs office in a statement. "As a result, the parties agreed to cancel the remaining portion of the contract."